Terravana's Book 1: Toph's Story
by theblindbandit1
Summary: After the war, no one knew what was going to happen. When Toph went to say goodbye to her parents, the evets afterward were just the beginning of a new era of terror. Toph/OC, Katara/Aang, Zuko/Mai, Toph/Sokka. Rated M for violence and sensitive material.
1. Home's Memories

**Chapter 1: Home's Memories-**

Toph's POV:

The war was finally over, and I thought the joyful days of fighting the Fire Nation, sitting around a campfire, and seeing my friends everyday would never fade away. I was wrong. If that were true, Appa would not be heading to Gaoling, my birthplace, my prison. I didn't want to go there, not for anything. But Katara said it would be better if I gathered all of my personal items, and said goodbye to my parents. Somehow, as Appa landed on the ground with a thud, I knew that wasn't going to happen.

3rd Person:

Appa landed just outside the large Bei Fong estate, which looked like not even a blade of grass had changed. Katara glanced at Toph knowing she didn't want to be here, but she had to be here. If she was never going to come back to her home, she should at least say goodbye, in person. "It will be real quick Toph, I'll be with you the whole time. It's just to say goodbye." Toph sat there with her head hung low, and shook her head. "I wanna go in there on my own. You're right, it'll be real quick." She said, her voice just above a whisper. Then without another word she stood and climbed off the giant bison, before trudging her way to the mansion.

As Toph climbed through the window of her old room, the only thing she noticed that was different was the thick layer of dust that hung about the room. She couldn't help but feel angry, she had been gone from home over half a year, and her parents hadn't even bothered to go in her room. There were no footprints in the dust. No one had been in here since she had left. They had sent a bounty hunter after her and after they had failed they must have given up. "Shows how much they really cared about me." She said. If they had cared they would have kept the room like she would climb into bed at any minute. Her mother hated dirt. Her father was even more picky.

She spent a moment just standing there, remembering times when her mother had tucked her in at night. Singing a soft lullaby and stroking her hair. Her mother. Toph looked down, knowing how much she must have hurt her mother. She didn't care about her father, he had hardly seen him when she was little. He was always at these big important meetings that he had to be at. She had been very clingy to her mother and the female servants. Her mother taught her to walk as she held her hands. Toph remembered clinging onto her mothers hands as she squeezed her eyes shut. _"Just move your foot forward sweety. You can do it Toph."_ Her mother's encouragements resounded in her head. Toph took a small step forward and felt around the house, looking for every body. Sadly, her mother was at her father's side once again. After Toph was ten her father told her mother to leave her alone. To let her live her own life. Have the guards escort her. Little did her father know that Toph had been sneaking out every other night for the past two years previously to train with the badgermoles. She wiped her cheek, remembering the feeling of the badgermoles tongue running across it. Once she was ten she had started to explore town at night. Her mother only consented to leaving her alone knowing that she could walk on her own. Without her mother's touch to guide her. Little did her mother know how much Toph was still attached to her.

But her father took away everything Toph had ever liked. Every toy dissappeared, every stuffed badgermole or platypus bear that she had received disappeared within a year. Toph was afraid that once he told her mother to leave her on her own, that if Toph tried to be clingy to her again her father would take her mother from her like every other thing she had ever cherished. Toph walked over to the nightstand that stood beside her bed. The bed was the only thing not covered in dust. It was freshly made. Toph could smell the soap that the servants washed the sheets in. Lavender. Toph opened the single drawer the nightstand had to offer, and reached in. Slowly she pulled out a small chain that held a single crystal, a necklace. She had found the crystal in the cave that her masters lived in, and had asked her mother to buy her the chain so she could wear it around her neck when she was little. By the time she left with Aang, she had stopped wearing it, afraid her father would take it away. Slowly she strung it over her head, letting the crystal rest over her heart.

Almost twenty moments had passed, and Toph had done nothing but remember the memories her room had to offer. She stood, almost in a trance as all the happy and the sad memories filled her mind. Leaving this place would be like leaving part of herself behind. But was that really herself? No, it was a shell that she had put on to please her father, to hold onto her sanity. She moved over to the closet and moved away the slab of rock that hid the clothes that she had loved to wear. Her mother would go out to the market and buy her large amounts of dresses to please her father, but hide in the bottom of the bags pants and t-shirts and tunics made of silk or cotton, things she could wear when she went out to practice. The clothes she had worn for the past six months were the only thing her father had given her that she had liked. An outfit that she could wear when she had lessons with Master Yu. The lessons were terrible seeing as she was much stronger than Master Yu allowed her to show. But she had showed him when she fought him after he tried to drag her back home. He and Xin Fu had probably rotted to death in the metal box she had trapped them in. Every moment she spent in this house brought a new memory. She had to get out before she decided to stay. Quickly she opened her bag and started to pack her clothes into it, hoping they would still fit.

Quietly the door to the room from the hallway entered as Toph was busy with her memories. Normally the earthbending master would feel the movements of a dozen guards moving into her room, slowly moving closer and closer towards her. But this time she was too caught up in the past to tell the vibrations of the past to those of the present. All at once the guards pounced on her from behind, pinning down the blind girl so she could not move a muscle to bend. Quickly they tied thick ropes around Toph to bind her arms behind her back and her knees to her chest. The only thing she could move was her neck with great discomfort. The guards stepped back and filed against the walls as Lao Bei Fong moved into the room, quickly followed by his wife Poppi. Toph glared at her father, knowing that he was planning this. As soon as she came home he was going to trap her here.

"I knew you were going to come home Toph. You promised you would in the letter you sent us a few months ago." Her father said, his voice too calm for this situation. "You had your mother and I worried sick. But now you're home, and your not leaving again." He said then glanced at his wife and nodded. Poppi looked at the ground then left the room. "You can't trap me here dad, I'll just leave, and you know I can." Toph snarled. But her father snowed no change in emotion. He was calm because he knew that she would not leave this house. He had plans for her future to teach her to behave. "On the contrary Toph, your never leaving this house again. And your 'friends' won't come to get out." Toph went wide-eyed, unable to show the fear that her father's words invoked.

The whole time Toph had been inside the house her friends had been just outside the gates to the Bei Fong estate, waiting for her to come out. Katara was a little worried that something had happened. Sokka was antsy to see her come back out, to see her again. Aang just sat on Appa's head playing with Momo. Suddenly everyone's eyes bolted to the gates seeing them open, but their smiles fell as they saw that it was not Toph coming out of the gates, but a teary eyed woman. Katara recognized the woman as Toph's mother from when they had visited Toph's house all those months ago. "Mrs. Bei Fong? Where is Toph?" Katara asked wondering why she was crying. Poppi dabbed at her wet face with a piece of cloth and looked at everyone near the bison. "Toph, sent me to tell you that she wants to stay here for the time being. She will send a letter when she wants to be picked up to join the rest of you." She said before reapplying the cloth to her wet and tear-stained face. The three looked at each other, then Sokka gave Katara a desperate look, not wanting to leave Toph behind. But Katara shook her head and looked back at Mrs. Bei Fong. "Thank you. Tell her goodbye for us and we hope to hear from her soon." She said and climbed back up into Appa's saddle. Sokka looked at the house, begging Toph to walk out of it and join them on Appa. But after a few minutes he knew it wasn't going to happen and sat down in the saddle, leaning on the side of it. Aang nodded at Poppi before shouting "Yip yip!" and guiding Appa up into the sky, heading to the Southern Water Tribe. His new home.

Katara looked at Sokka, before placing her hand on his shoulder. Sokka glanced back at his younger sister before shrugging her hand off. "It'll be okay Sokka, we'll hear from her soon. There's no way she'll want to stay there for very long." But Sokka didn't reply. His mind knew that this was not Toph's doing. She wouldn't want to stay there at all. She had told him all those times that he had found her crying while everyone else slept at camp that she never wanted to go home again. That she wanted to find a new home somewhere else. Even if it was on her own. Little did he know that he would not seen her face for a long time, and how much that face would change.


	2. Marriage

**Chapter 2: Marriage-**

The night after Toph had gone home, her father had her strapped to her bed, to keep her from trying to do anything but sleep. Her mother sat beside her, stroking her hair and singing a soft lullaby just as she did when Toph was a little kid. Her mother seemed so happy to have her daughter home, to be able to baby her. But there was a look behind her eyes that said that she was hiding something. Toph's eyes were closed, tears streaking her face every now and then. She did not want to be here, she wanted to be with friends.

Late that night, the door opened, and a young man entered the room. He wore earth kingdom clothing, but it was apparent that he was not an earthbender or from the earth kingdom originally. The air nomad tattoos that covered his skin proved him to be an airbender. But they were not normal tattoos. Instead of the traditional blue the painted skin was red. He could not be any older than fifteen, but there was a strange likeness about him. "If we could have some time alone tonight Lady Bei Fong?" The boy asked. Poppi looked up at him and nodded. "Alright Takeo." She consented, not really wanting to. She knew what was really going to happen once she left the room. She looked at her sleeping daughter before getting up and leaving the room. Takeo went over and quickly took her spot, looking at Toph. At last he had her. The girl he had chosen for himself. He smiled and lightly brushed her bangs from her pale face and lightly kissed the sleeping girl's nose.

Toph jolted awake as she felt the kiss. She tried to sit up but the straps binding her to the bed prevented such an action. "It's alright Toph." Takeo said, but when Toph heard his voice, she thought it was Aang's. "Aang?" She asked confused, but Takeo shook his head. "No, my name is Takeo, Aang is my brother. My twin brother." He said, almost spitting out his brother's name with anger. Toph was greatly confused now. Aang had a brother? A twin brother? Even if that were true how did he survive the 100 years of war, and still seem this young? A million other questions burned a deep hole in Toph's mind. But the next thing she asked was merely, "Why are you in my room?" She said, beginning to feel very uncomfortable at the situation. Takeo smirked and turned her face with his hand so he could look into her sightless eyes. "Because your father has given me your hand in marriage." Toph's eyes grew wide, her father had sold her out. He had given this stranger permission to marry her? An arranged marriage? But she did not love this 'Takeo'. She loved Sokka. How could her father do this to her? There was no way the boy knew her. Why would someone who didn't know her want to marry her? There had to be another reason for this. "You don't even know me! Why would you want to marry me? For my Dad's money?" She shouted, straining against the leather straps that bound her to the bed.

Takeo laughed. "You forget we've met before." Toph's expression of confusion deepened as she tried to remember a time where it was even possible for them to have met. Takeo smiled. "When you were captured by the Fire Nation you were put in the cell next to mine. I heard everything you and the Princess said. After I was released I came to find you. I found your parents and from them I heard everything you've ever done in your life. So I do know you. And I know you need to be taught how to behave." He said smirking. He crawled on the bed and hovered on his hands and knees over her. Toph tried everything she could to push herself deeper into the bed, trying to get away from him. Takeo reached into his pocket and pulled out an engagement necklace, before lifting Toph's head and wrapping it around her neck. The silence was split as Toph let out an ear-splitting scream as Takeo fused the metal on the end of the necklace to the back of her neck, preventing it from ever leaving her neck. Takeo kept quiet and wiped a tear from her face. "Shh... It's okay. If you're good, nothing will hurt as much as that." He said then forced his lips upon her. She gasped and tried to turn her head, to pull away. But he did not let her. He continued to force himself upon her, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

The next morning when Toph woke, she ached from head to foot, especially at the junction of her legs. She was covered in dried blood and fresh bruises were starting to form along her small body.. The straps that once held her to the bed we now off, but as she tried to get up the pain proved too much and she flopped back down on the bed. Her room was empty except for her. Takeo must have gotten up already. Toph felt around with a hand for her clothes in a desperate attempt to cover her naked body up. Finding nothing near the bed she reached down on pulled the stained sheets over herself, holding them tight. Once of her hands moved itself to the stone that hung around her neck. It wrapped itself around the small rock, as if she was going to rip off any second, but as she gave it the lightest tug her neck screamed out in pain. There was no removing it. The metal was now one with the skin it was attached to. She could not help but break down, letting tears run down her bruised face. She was married to someone she did not love, unable to escape from her house, unable to see her friends, to beg them for help.

Later, servants came in and cleaned Toph before re-clothing her. She did not struggle as much as she normally would because of the pain that plagued her body. She lie there motionless on the bed, squeezing her eyes shut. Once she was dressed and presentable, the servants pulled her from the bed and forced her to her feet. They led her to the room where her parents were sitting in their home made thrones. Toph was forced to sit down in a chair across from her parents groaning quietly in great discomfort. Takeo sat in the chair beside her, and once she sat in the chair he wrapped his arm around his new bride. Toph's body tensed at his touch, Every tap was like a punch to her. Her parents watched the two of them, her father smiling seeing his daughter behaving how she should. Toph hung her head, she was trapped here, and she could not see a way out.

**Authors Note: AFTP stands for "Avatar Falling To Pieces", this is the first part of a new series.**


	3. News

**Chapter 3: News-**

Months passed for Toph, each day seemed like years. After two months she had convinced her father to let her join the army. With her mother's pleas he finally agreed. Now everyday Toph would leave the mansion in the morning to go train the other soldiers, and return home after sundown. Her mother would prepare her food to be ready when she came home, because her father said to have her starve if she was not home for dinner when her father called everyone to the table. Toph would spend all day training new troops, then come back home to her prison cell for the night. She cherished the time she spent away from the walls of her parents estate. Takeo had left a week after the first night he had appeared in her room. What he had told her parents is that he had some important business to attend to, what he told Toph was that he was looking for Aang, so he could kill him. Every time he was home he would constantly ask Toph if she knew where the young Avatar was. Each and every time Toph denied that she knew anything. Takeo knew that this was not the truth and that she was obviously hiding something, but Toph took his beating instead of telling him that Aang was at the south pole with Katara. She would not betray her friends, even at her own expense. She wished more than anything that she could send a letter to them, to beg for help, to be rescued. But she had yet to find a way.

Now there was another cause for pain in her life. Toph was returning home from the doctor that the army provided. She had went then in search for an answer to why she had been sick every morning for the past two months. The doctor had done several simple tests on her, from asking questions about diet to blood tests. Only one test gave the answer, an answer that Toph had not expected at all. She was almost four months pregnant, and in five months she would be a mother. A mother? This was something she was definitely not ready for. She had no clue how to be a mother, and now she only had five months to learn everything about raising a baby? And Takeo would be the father? That thought haunted her, what kind of father would Takeo be to a child. He already proved to be a terrible husband, how would he treat a child? He was only home for a few days every month, and those days were torture for Toph, being beat and raped every night and having to put on a strong act for her parents during the day. He had yet to come this month, but the month would end in the next week, so he would come soon if he kept to his usual pattern. She would have to tell him the news soon.

It wasn't long before she was back at her house, but instead of going inside to confront her parents right away, Toph quietly walked around the large yard to the bridge that only a few months ago Aang had convinced her to come with them on their journey. The journey that changed her life, that ended the war. She didn't feel like going to work that day, which was a shocker, usually she would do anything to get out of her house, and the easiest way was work. But not today, she just didn't feel like it. She would have to go inside and tell her parents the news. Spirits, how would they take this? She was only twelve years old and now she was pregnant. Her father would be infuriated. She said and rubbed her head and seat down on the railing of the bridge, swinging her feet a little. She would tell her parents and then go into her room and sleep the day away. If Takeo came that night then she would tell him as well. Hopefully, his heart would change hearing that he would be a father, and the beatings would stop. Part of her knew that the chances of this were near impossible, but there could always be hope. That was one of the things that Katara had taught her. If he beat her it might hurt her baby, their baby. It was his child after all. All her ever talked about when he was home was finding his brother and having kids. He wanted all his children to be airbenders, he wanted to single-handedly rebuild the air nomads. This is why he raped her every time he was home. She always closed her eyes and tried to block everything out when that happened. Finally what he wanted was a reality and she was pregnant. If she did not get away from him she was afraid she would be forced to have a child every chance Takeo had. It wasn't like her parents didn't have enough money to help raise a lot of grandchildren.

After all those thoughts Toph sighed and looked around the yard. It was early fall and the leaves were beginning to change color and fall to the ground. A soft breeze rustled the leaved, bringing the soft sound to the blind girl's ears. She had always loved the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, it was like music to her. The sound made her feel like everything was alright and that there was peace in the world. But there was no peace in here for her. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and sighed, then got off the bridge and headed to her parent's parlor. They would be in there for sure. It was wear they always sat day in and day out. Once she got to the room she took a deep breath and slowly walked in. As soon as her parents heard the door open their eyes fixed upon their daughter as she walked in. Toph didn't look up, just kept her head hung low knowing that there would be yelling within the next few minutes.

"Toph, is everything okay? You're home early." Her mother asked, standing up from her seat. Her father just watched his daughter, waiting for her to answer her mother. Toph took a deep breath, not looking up from her feet. "I went to the doctor today," She said before she paused. Her mother swooped in and went over to her daughter, checking her over for broken bones or cuts. "The doctor? Are you alright?" Her mother asked. Toph turned her head slightly at her mother, then shook her head slightly. "There's some news, I don't know how to say this to you." Toph mumbled. Her mother looked at her worried, her father's look was more intrigued. Toph lifted her head to look towards her father, her hand almost instinctively moving to her stomach. She could feel the bulge where the baby was growing inside of her.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered, her mother's eyes widened. Her father had not heard, and he cupped a hand over his ear. "What was that Toph?" He asked. Toph took a shaky breath and spoke at her normal tone, her voice shaking with a small fear of what her father's next words would be. "I'm pregnant." Her father smirked hearing the words and stood up. "Well, that's good news, very good news." He said, leaving Toph flabbergasted. Her father wasn't yelling at her? He thought this was a good thing? Who was this man and what had he done with her real father? "You think this is good news?" She asked weakly. Her father nodded and chuckled some as he settled back into his seat.

"You don't think that I let you take that_ job_ of yours because I wanted to. I wanted you to be happy for a few months. Of course this is good news. I wanted this to happen. I saw your mother in you, your wanting to be free, it's just like your mother was. But pregnancy and motherhood changes a woman like nothing else." He explained. Poppi gave her husband a sharp look before he continued. "The next year or so you'll change in a way that in the end, you won't believe how you act now. You'll be raising a child. You won't be able to just leave, because you'll have to find a way to keep the baby as well as yourself alive out there. You won't be able to leave it alone to go off to your job, and we both know that Takeo won't be around to watch his child. It will be all your responsibility. And you'll learn how to be a proper mother.

Toph stared at her father in astonishment. Her father had planned all of this just to get her to be a good daughter? He had planned for this to happen to her? To force her into a marriage, to let her _husband_ run off whenever he wanted to on his stupid quest then come home and abuse and rape her constantly? How could any person be that evil? He was her father he was supposed to help her grow up to be a good woman but this was not the right way at all! "You set this all up! How could you?" She raged, her fathers expression never changed.

"Because it was the only way to get a terrible child like you to learn." He smirked, knowing he had won. Toph glared at him, wanting to knock him down and beat him like Takeo had done to her. But she couldn't. She knew that the guards would stop her. She felt disconnected from the earth with the carpeted floor. She felt some vibrations, but it was like sand, fuzzy and harder to bend. With ten guards standing around the room she would have no chance to get at her father before she was stopped. She just turned and ran running out of the room, heading outside to the courtyard to get away from him. Once she was back outside the earth cracked with each step as her bending exploded her frustration into the earth.

Meanwhile, Takeo sat in Toph's room, sitting on the bed in a traditional air nomad meditation position, calming his anger at another month of failure on his quest to find his brother. His body may have been sitting in the present, in a time of reconstruction, but his mind was in the past. He remembered when he was a young boy.

_Takeo had gone to the Eastern Air Temple on his eighth birthday. It was tradition for a young air nomad to choose a sky bison at the age of eight. So the night before his guardian, Monk Yochang had him pack for the journey from the Northern temple to the Eastern. The next morning they had left before sunrise and made it to the eastern temple just before high noon. This was Takeo's first time out of his home temple, and he was excited to see the differences of the new temple, and seeing all the new faces. Yochang quickly recognized an old friend of his, Monk Gyatzo, and he smiled and walked over beside him. Takeo walked through the large crowd of young monks who were waiting to get an apple to feed to the young bison. He stopped beside another young monk that looked exactly like him. The boy looked at Takeo and mirrored his expression of confusion. "Who are you?" The boy asked Takeo, his voice the same as his. Takeo looked over the boy again. "I'm Takeo, who are you?" The boy smiled wide. "I'm Aang." Takeo smiled weakly to be polite, but he was still confused as to why this monk he had never seen before looked just like him. Takeo glanced back at his mentor, to see that he was happily talking to another monk and a female who was wearing air nomad clothing, but did not bear the air nomad tattoos._

_ After Takeo and Aang had both gotten a bison they were playing happily when Monk Yochang and the woman Takeo had seen with him earlier came over. "Takeo, Aang, can we talk to you?" Monk Yochang asked. Takeo and Aang looked at each other confused but then nodded at Monk Yochang and followed him as he went into one of the empty rooms of the temple. As soon as the door to the room had been closed the woman ran over and hugged the two boys. "My sons!" She exclaimed. Both of the boys were confused, looking at Yochang for an answer. Yochang smiled and looked at the two. "Takeo, Aang. This is your mother." He smiled and looked at the woman. Both of the boys were greatly confused, but they smiled wide and hugged their mother tight. Yochang and Kyana then proceeded to tell them how they were both their children. That Yochang and Kyana's love was forbidden, because Kyana was from the Northern Water Tribe and Yochang was a head air nomad. The boys listened intently, Takeo standing by his guardian and father, as Aang clung to his mother. But when Yochang told them that they would have to go back into their normal lives and act like nothing had happened in the room, both of them protested. "I want to stay with mom!" Aang whined, tightening his hold on his mother's shirt. Yochang explained that the boys had to stay where they were, because one of them would have a very important job to do in the future. _

_ While Yochang was still explaining, a group of monks came in and yelled at him, throwing back the warnings they had given him when the twin boys were separated from their mother and each other in the first place. "You were only given guardianship of Takeo because you gave up your right to be married and swore that you would never see this woman again!" One of the monks __ shouted at Yochang. Yochang knew he was trapped. He had broken his vow and now he was going to loose the only piece of his family he had left, he was going to loose Takeo. Three of the other monks had already dragged Aang out of the room, and started to tell him that he could never speak about what happened in that room and never see any of those people again. Yochang stood protectively in front of his other son and wife, knowing that they were trapped. Takeo could not just go to another monk, he like his brother that was destined to be the Avatar, was special, and needed to be in the care of someone that would let him be special. Quickly he turned and wrapped his arms around Takeo and Kyana, turning their bodies to air vapors and transporting them all out of the temple into the Northern Water Tribe. Takeo looked at his father as he let go and disappeared, going back at the temple to face his punishment. Takeo was left to live with his mother until 5 years later, when he would disappear from the world for another 97 years._

_ Takeo didn't mind growing up in the north pole. His mother was a very nice woman as he found out. She had even taken him to a place where air nomads in hiding went to test and receive his arrows when he was 12. There was another reason Takeo liked his mother so much. She was the moon spirit, so every month on the new moon she was too weak to get out of bed. So each new moon after Takeo met his girlfriend when he was ten, he would take his sky bison Visaya to the tip of the earth kingdom to meet his girlfriend Yang. Yang was an air nomad from the Eastern temple that Takeo had met when he was traveling with his mother to the earth kingdom. They had been dating secretly for two years when something happened that changed Takeo's life forever. When they were at the earth kingdom one night during the summer, a group of bandits attacked them. Both Takeo and Yang fought and drove the bandits away, but Yang had taken a knife to her stomach, and she died in Takeo's arms while he was helpless to save her. Takeo took his blanket from the saddle bag and wrapped his love in it, hate running deep through his veins, corrupting every inch of him. He flew back to the Northern Water Tribe and buried Yang in the spirit oasis, so her body would never be disturbed. Then news came from his father, that they had announced that Aang was the Avatar early. Takeo was furious. Why did his younger brother get all the power in the universe? If he had gotten that power then he would have been able to save Yang. Now his mind was locked on one thing, killing his brother. Takeo left the Water Tribe the next night, leaving a note to his mother saying that he would never return. He traveled down south through the earth kingdom for a few days before stopping to rest. That night when he was meditating he found himself in the spirit world, and he could not find a way out. He spent the next 97 years there, while the war waged and his brother was frozen in the ice._

Takeo stopped his meditating, the memories too hard to bare. It was only three years ago that he had escaped from the spirit world, and he was no closer to killing his brother than he was then. He clenched his hands tight in anger. But he was stronger than he was a hundred years ago. Now he could bend all four elements just like his brother. Even without the power of the Avatar State surely he could beat his brother in a battle to the death. He would not give up his search. Not when he was this close to getting the power his brother possessed. Hearing the door to the room open Takeo looked up to see Toph walk in quietly. She was just like the air nomad he had loved all those years ago. Strong willed, a rebel, and Toph looked exactly like Yang had. Smiling Takeo got up and went over to her putting his hands on her shoulders. Instinctively Toph's body tensed up at his touch, but she just looked at him. "I have something to tell you Takeo." She said. Takeo nodded and motioned to bed for her to sit down.

"Sit down and tell me then. It'll take the weight off your feet." He said. Toph took a deep breath and moved to her bed and sat down on the clean sheets looking up at him. "You got what you wished for. You're always talking about that you want to have as many kids as we can so you can rebuild the air nomads. Well..." She paused, afraid of his reaction. "I'm pregnant. You;re going to get your child like you wanted." Takeo smiled wide and rested a hand on her shoulder and bent down kissing her cheek before whispering in her ear. "Well, that's very good news Toph. Very good."


	4. The Baby

**Chapter 4: The Baby-**

The next five months moved quickly for Toph. Her worry about the baby just seemed to make the baby come faster. A month after she had told everyone about her pregnancy, she was given leave from her job. Her father had told her that she would not return to her work after the baby was born but she was determined to prove him wrong. There was another big surprise after she had told everyone. Takeo did not leave again on his journey but instead stayed with her and the beatings ceased. That made it so Toph wanted the baby to never come. If being pregnant kept Takeo from beating her then she would force herself through it each time she got pregnant. But even if she didn't want it to, the baby came.

Toph and Takeo were sleeping in the middle of the night during the early spring. Rain was pounding lightly against the roof and the glass window of Toph's room, making a music-like sound to relax her sleeping body. She was much larger than she used to be, the baby inside her growing healthily. It was a cool night, and Toph was lying on her back pressed up against her husband as the two of them huddled under a blanket for warmth. In the dark of the rainy night, she began to toss and turn in her sleep, trying to find a comfortable position. Her body started to go into labor and shot awake putting her hands on her stomach as water leaked from between her legs. "Takeo..." She whispered taking a deep breath. She pushed him off the bed and he jolted awake as he hit the ground. Sitting up he smacked her out of instinct. "What was that for?" He shouted. Tears escaped her eyes but she continued to take deep and even breaths.

"Dammit Takeo I'm going to deliver your child! Get a fucking doctor!" She shouted then groaned in pain. This was not good, she had just gone into labor and the beatings had started again. Takeo looked at her then ran out of the room to get the family physician. Minutes later he ran back in with the doctor, and Toph's mother and father. Toph looked at her parents and took deep breaths looking away. "Great, just what I need, Dad telling me how to give birth." She whispered to herself. But unlike she thought, her father grabbed Takeo's shoulder and pulled him out of the room, leaving just her mother and the doctor in the room. Poppi moved to Toph's side quickly taking her hand.

"It'll be okay." Her mother said, her voice soothing to Toph's ears. "Just take deep breaths and focus. The doctor will instruct you through everything else when its time." Toph looked at her mother and nodded then closed her eyes focusing on her breathing, keeping it steady and even. Her mother was helping her through this just like when she was a little kid, step by step, holding her hand.

By late afternoon sounds of a baby's cry eminated through the estate. The doctor carefully took the small child in his arms and went to Toph putting the baby near her. "It's a boy. Would you like to hold him Mrs. Bei Fong?" The doctor asked. Toph took a deep breath and nodded tiredly holding out her arms for the child. The physician carefully placed the baby boy in the blind girl's arms and then bowed before leaving the room.

"Oh Toph, he looks just like you." Her mother said quietly, looking at her grandson like he was her own child. "What are you going to name him?" Toph looked at the boy touching his nose lightly, giving her a small sight of what her first child looked like. "I don't have to let Takeo choose?" Her mother quickly shook her head.

"Takeo isn't the one who spent 16 hours in labor, you have every right to name the boy however you want." She explained. Toph smiled and rubbed the babies head lightly. "I want to name him Rien, for the earth. Just like me." She said and yawned before starting to drift off to sleep. Her mother took her grandson and rocked him gently letting him calm down and go to sleep.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so small. I didn't really have any good idea for this chapter, but the next one I do. For right now please keep reading this and if you need something else to read, check out my new story MetalWalker.**


	5. Seeing Old Faces

**Chapter 5: Seeing Old Faces:**

Over two years after Rien was born into the Bei Fong family, things were beginning to change around the estate. After Toph had gotten used to having Rien in her life, Takeo left to search for his brother once again, returning for one week every month. Despite her father's orders to not leave the house, Toph had returned to her job in the Earth Kingdom military, training new recruits. When Rien was just a little baby, she used to leave him at the Bei Fong home with her mother, but that stopped when Takeo came home one day and burned Rien's arms. After that Toph bought a child pouch and started carrying Rien around on her back wherever she went so Takeo could not hurt him without getting past her first.

But as Rien went from being a tiny baby to a curious toddler, things turned even worse for them. Once it became apparent that Rien had gained his mother's skill in earthbending instead of becoming the newest airbender, Takeo's anger turned into rage. The beatings became more heated, every night that he was with Toph there would be blood all over the sheets from her injuries. And every time he left, Toph would be in the hospital.

The one thing that was new in Toph's life is that she found a way to contact her old friends at the south pole. With plenty of people working side-by-side in the army with her, she found someone who could write letters for her and read them back to her. After several letters between her and Katara, she learned that Suki and Sokka had split not too long ago, and that Sokka thought about nothing but her all the time. She also learned that Katara and Aang were getting married soon and that she was invited to the wedding. She had dreamed of going to see her friends again for so long, but regardless of how much she wanted she knew she couldn't stay permanently.

The reason was simple, if she stayed at the south pole and Takeo found her, which he would, she would lead him right to his prize, Aang. What a wedding gift that would be. Hey Aang, your gift from me is your brother who's going to kill you and everyone you love. For some reason she didn't think that would be a good present for two of her best, and only, friends.

There were two big problems with going to the south pole for the wedding. The first was that she had no way of getting there. For one, her father wouldn't let her and she couldn't tell him where she was going because he would most likely tell Takeo if he came home before she returned. She didn't want to put Aang and Katara out of their way by making them fly up to pick her up the day before their wedding when they should be planning and making sure that everything was ready.

The other problem was Rien. There was no way on earth that if she was going to travel all the way to the bottom of the world that she was going to leave him alone with her parents. In her letters to Katara she had been telling her that Rien was her younger brother, which Katara believed fullheartedly and thought of Toph as a helpful older sister. But now Rien was at the stage where he called her mommy every three minutes or so, not to mention that he was clingy. There was also the problem with he was very protective of his back because the month before Takeo had made a large cut with his sword down from his neck all the way to the middle of his back and hurt Rien badly. Rien didn't trust any man he was around. Toph knew he would love Katara, but Aang would be another story.

Then there was the issue of Sokka. Katara had been telling Toph of how she was the only thing Sokka talked about since he and Suki split up. Toph loved him with all her heart, but knew that she could not be with him as long as she was married to Takeo. First of all she would be committing adultery, which would shame her for the rest of her life. Secondly, when Takeo found out he'd just kill Sokka and take Toph back. She could not let that happen. Which means that to hide her feelings she would basically have to ignore Sokka the whole time.

Katara and Aang insisted that they would pick Toph up from her house the night before the wedding. Toph quickly packed the warmest clothes that she had into her bag and used her salary for that month to buy plenty of warm clothes for Rien. Even if it was for just one day Rien was notorious for not telling her when he had to pee, which meant he went through three pairs of pants a day. The whole time Toph was in the saddle on the trip to the south pole, she said nothing as Katara filled her in on everything she had missed since the end of the war three years before. Toph sat holding Rien on her lap with his blanket wrapped around the two of them, nodding every now and then to keep Katara talking and not asking questions.

A few hours later, Appa landed at the south pole. Once he had Katara picked up Toph's and Rien's bags and slung them over her shoulder before going over to Toph. Toph got up holding Rien tight in her arms. She couldn't see anything in Appa's saddle or the snow around them. For all she knew, Takeo could be standing in front of her and she would not know it. Feeling a hand on her arm she jumped away before realizing that the hand was Katara's, who was trying to lead her off of Appa.

"I didn't mean to startle you Toph." Toph let out a deep breath and nodded. "I know, I'm sorry." Toph said and followed as Katara led her down Appa's tail and into the snow. Toph mentally cursed herself for not wearing shoes. As soon as her bare feet hit the freezing snow she was blind. But this feeling of blindness was different than any other, because she was quickly loosing all the feeling in her feet. Katara led her to a tent and then looked at her.

"This is the tent that Aang and I set up for you. There's furs on the ground so in here your feet can be a little warmer. And Aang and I made some really thick green blankets for you and your brother. Since you don't like the cold that much." She said. Toph wiggled her toes on the warm felts that lined the floor of the tent and smiled some. Katara knew how to cheer her up quick. Rien started to squirm in her arms and Toph sighed knowing that he was having another nightmare. She lied him down on the bed that Katara had led her to and covered him in his blanket and one of blankets that was at the end of the bed.

"Just sleep you sweet dreamer." She said then looked at Katara. Katara just stared at her in shock. She never knew Toph of being like this. Toph had always been the blunt, independent girl who couldn't care for anyone. Now she was a caring older sister that Katara hardly recognized. Toph sat down on the bed next to Rien and stroked his hair lightly.

"I can tell that your staring Katara." She said, causing Katara to turn her gaze away quickly.

"I'm sorry Toph. It's... you've grown up so much. I have never seen you act like this. Last time I saw you, you were still a child. Now you act like so much older... like a mom." Toph used all her concentration to ignore that statement, not wanting to give away her secret to Katara. If she gave it away, Katara would want to help, and then that would put her and Aang in danger. Instead she just shrugged.

"I'm three years older Katara. And I've learned a lot since we last saw each other. But right now, I think we should focus more on your wedding.

The night after the wedding, everyone was sitting together around the campfire in the center of the camp. According to Chief Hakoda, it is traditional to tell stories about the newly wed couple, and the best ones are those that are embarrassing. Toph have to admit, Sokka and Hakoda had a ton of stories that made Katara sound like a complete klutz when she was a kid. Sadly since there was no one who could tell stories of Aang when he was a kid, the only stories that they had of him were the ones from their travels during the war. There were several that Toph hadn't known because they had happened before she had joined. It was funny to listen to them. But she was only laughing on the inside, on the outside she was emotionless, holding Rien on her lap as he hid his face. Rien didn't like Aang at all, since he looked like his abusive father.

After most of the story telling was over, Rien looked up at Toph squirming some. Toph looked at him trying to keep him on her lap. Katara looked over then smiled. "Would you like to come sit on my lap Rien?" Rien smiled and crawled out of Toph's lap and onto Katara's. Aang and Sokka watched this and laughed at Toph's reaction. "Oh calm down Toph. Katara just loves kids." Hakoda chuckled. Sokka nodded and looked at Aang.

"Good luck Aang. You aren't going to stay a true monk forever." He commented, receiving a sharp glare from Aang. He glanced at Toph to see her reaction, but she just hung her head hiding her expression behind her long bangs.

Rien smiled and began giggling as he played with Katara's hair loopies as she bounced him. After a few minutes he stopped then looked at Toph with a weird expression on his face. "Mommy... I gotta pee...!" He said and crawled out of Katara's lap just as a dark stain appeared on his pants. "Uh... oh..." He said in a small, sweet baby voice. Toph sighed and got up.

"Rien... come here." She said and picked him up in her arms as he clung to her legs and muttered. "I sowwy mommy." Toph quickly headed to the tent that Katara had led her to the night before and quickly started rummaging through Rien's bag to find a pair of pants that he had yet to soil. Katara walked into the tent and looked at her crossing her arms.

"I heard him call you mommy Toph." She said. Toph quickly turned around and looked at Katara knowing that she had figured it out then took a deep breath as she racked her mind for another explanation. Rien just stood there looking at the two.

"Yeah, he does that when he's around me. He can't see that well right now so he sometimes thinks that I'm my mom and not me." She said then went back to looking for another pair of pants. Katara raised her eyebrow then shook her head.

"I can tell that you're lying. And I've been wondering why your parents would let you take him all the way here. They never let you travel when you were a kid. And they barely trust you in the first place. So why would they let you take their second child take them to the bottom of the world?" She asked. Toph closed her eyes taking a small breath forcing the tears to not come.

"They just did." She said then wiped her eyes and took a deep breath forcing tears back not wanting to show any emotion in front of Katara. Katara went over to her and grabbed another pair of pants from the bag before going over to Rien and changing him into them and setting him on the bed before going and kneeling beside Toph.

"Toph. You're like a sister to me. You know you can tell me anything and I'll keep it a secret if you don't want anyone else to know. You're not acting like yourself anymore. You've become someone your not." She said putting a hand on Toph's shoulder. Toph took a deep breath and broke down unable to hide her feelings anymore. She threw her arms around Katara and cried into her shirt. Katara looked shocked then hugged Toph back. "Hey... It's okay... I'm sure its okay."

"No. It's not okay Katara. Nothing is okay anymore. You have no idea." Toph sobbed into her shirt. Katara took a deep breath and rubbed her back lightly. Toph cried for minutes before taking deep breaths trying to calm down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Katara asked, her voiced sounding motherly again. Toph took a deep breath and sat up looking at her.

"Katara... so much has happened. You already figured out that Rien isn't my brother. Yes, he is my son." She admitted and paused to stop Katara from speaking then continued explaining. "When you dropped me off, the last time I saw all of you, my dad had a trap set up in my room and he caught me. Then he sent mom to tell you to leave and tied me to my bed. Then that night a guy came in... and... he... forced himself on me... and the next day my parents said we were married. A few months later I had Rien and things got better for a little better... but now things are getting worse all over again."

Katara listened to her words in shock and horror. She had no idea of what happened to her best friend since they went their separate ways. Toph collapsed back into her arms and Katara held her close rubbing her back lightly. Toph took a deep breath before speaking out again.

"I don't love him Katara. All he does is use me and abuse me. I love Sokka..." Katara nodded.

"I know you do. But you need to tell him that. Suki left him months ago. And if he doesn't find someone soon, he's going to have to marry someone besides you. He loves you but he doesn't know that you love him back. You need to talk to him." Toph listened and took a deep breath shaking her head.

"I can't... I can't talk to him... I shouldn't even be telling you all of this. But I need you to heal Rien. His father hurt him bad on his back and it hurts him." Toph explained. Katara looked at the small boy and went over lifting his shirt up slowly to look at the stitched up cut that ran along his spine. She took a deep breath then looked at Toph.

"I'll heal him right now. But you should go talk to Sokka. It might be the only chance for you tell him your feelings." Toph took a deep breath and nodded getting up. "I think I can find my way back to the fire and find him." She said then left the tent heading back to the fire.

Just as she made it back towards the main fire, a large pile of snow caught her by surprise and she tripped face planting into the snow.. Sokka looked up seeing this and quickly went up going over to her. "Toph, are you okay?" Toph took a deep breath and pushed herself up onto her knees hearing who it was and nodded some.

"Yes. I need to talk to you." She said. Sokka nodded and looked around. "Then lets talk." He answered, but Toph shook her head. "No. Not here... In private."

Sokka looked confused then nodded and took her arm leading her to his tent. Toph followed shivering some and took a deep breath. Sokka noticed her shivering and looked at her. "You need to be wearing a coat Toph, it's almost 10 degrees below freezing right now. You could get very sick." He said, worried. Toph took a deep breath and nodded.

"This is the warmest coat I owned. And I didn't have any shoes." She said. Sokka led her to his tent and looked at her bare feet, which were blue with cold, then sat her down on his pile of furs that he called a bed. "Give me a second. Then we'll talk." He said then went and pulled out a green coat with yellow trim that he had bought for Suki, but now realized that it was meant for Toph instead. He also grabbed a pair of thick socks and a pair of boots and moved back over to her.

"Here... These should help you keep warm. Your feet look frozen, and if they stay frozen you could loose them." He said before slipping the socks over her feet and started to strap the boots on over them. "I know that you don't like shoes, but here its better to wear them." He said and smiled. Toph put the coat on and smiled feeling it's warm fibers surround her small body.

"Thanks Sokka." She said and looked at him. After he finished strapping the boot to her foot, he sat down beside her. "So, what did you want to talk about?" He asked. Toph took a deep breath and looked down thinking of how to start this. The only way that came to mind was just telling him.

"There's something I need to tell you Sokka," She said then paused and pulled the collar of her coat and shirt down to reveal the necklace that had been bonded to her neck almost three years before. "I'm married." Hearing her Sokka's eyes grew wide in surprise and shock. This was something he had feared since she had separated from the group. His mouth gaped open and he said nothing. Hearing his silence, Toph put a hand up to the side of his face and turned it towards hers and leaned in towards him kissing him. Sokka looked shocked as he felt her lips upon hers, but kissed her back.

After a few minutes, Toph pulled away and looked at him with her blank eyes. Sokka opened his eyes and stared back, breathless and confused. "I thought you said you were married..." He said quietly. Toph took a deep breath and nodded but leaned her head against his.

"I don't love him. I love you Sokka. I have since you face-planted in my parents yard the first day we met. I was just afraid to say so because I thought you would say that you didn't love me back. If we won the Day of Black Sun, I was going to tell you. But after hearing you yell at Azula about Suki, I thought that you would say that you love Suki and I couldn't take hearing that. So I just hid it." She said then took a deep breath. "But when I got home and went to get my stuff from my room my dad had set a trap, and made plans for me to marry this horrible man, all he does is rape and abuse me."

With every passing word Sokka's eyes widened in shock. He had no idea that this had happened to her, and now he understood why she had been ignoring him all this time. He took a deep breath then wrapped an arm around her. "If you don't want to be married to him then don't go back. Stay here." He offered, rubbing her arm lightly. Toph winced and pulled her arm away from his hand.

"I can't. He'll find me and come kill everyone in the tribe. I can't put them in danger. I can't put your or Katara or Aang in danger. I can't put Rien in danger. He's not my brother he's my son. And Takeo hates him because he's an earthbender not an airbender. I'm afraid for my life and if he knows about me and you then he will just kill you and take me back." She said then turned away. "I couldn't let that happen." She said then looked down. Sokka tilted her head up with his hand to look into her sightless eyes.

"I'll come stop him. When Aang and Katara take you back to your house. I'll come and kill him. If he's hurting you then he doesn't deserve to live." Toph wanted to smile hearing this, but then shook her head.

"It won't work. He's too powerful. He'll kill you." She said. "At least, he will if it's when Katara and Aang drop me off. If he's there he will kill you as soon as you walk in the door. But if you come some other time you might have an actual chance." Sokka nodded.

"I will come for you. But you have to be ready to leave when I get there. I don't know when I'll be able to get there. I don't know." Hearing him Toph took a deep breath and looked down thinking.

"If its not in the next two years, there won't be a point to come after that." Sokka looked confused and she took a deep breath before continuing. "If I have to stand another two years with him, I'll kill myself. And this first forbidden kiss will be our last."


	6. An Escape

**Chapter 6: An Escape-**

BANG BANG BANG BANG.

It was over a year since the wedding at the south pole, and everyone was back home. Things hadn't changed at all, even after Toph had told her friends about the horrors that had been going on since the end of the war. She pushed away their offers to help but sent weekly letters to Katara.

BANG BANG BANG.

"Let me in! Do you know who I am! Stop hiding and let me in this instant!" Katara shouted as she pounded on the door to the Bei Fong mansion. The cold winter air did not bother her as she pounded on the door waiting for someone to bother to open the door, praying that it was not too late for Toph. "Come open the door this instant!" She said. A servant quickly went to the door, opening it just a crack to see who it was.

"Lord Bei Fong will not see you. He asks that you leave his property immediately." The servant reported, not noticing the small boy squeezing through the door. Just as the servant closed the door, the boy let go of the bags he was dragging and went over to Katara and lightly tugged on her pant legs. Katara looked down and smiled realizing who it was before picking him up holding him to her side to avoid setting him on her baby bump.

"Haven't you grown Rien. Where's mommy?" She asked. The boy looked around putting his index finger into his mouth sucking on it before looking back to her. It seemed that he was contemplating whether or not it was safe to tell.

"Mommy huwrt..." He mumbled before removing his finger from his mouth. "at hospitatal..." He said then put his face on Katara's shoulder lightly to hide his face. Katara looked worried then infuriated hearing him and looked towards the door.

"You should have brought her to me! Not the hospital!" She yelled then noticed the bags that Rien had dropped. Kneeling down she picked them up then made her way back to where Aang was sitting on Appa. Feeling her moving Rien looked up and around wondering where he was being taken, then yelled at the sight of Aang. Aang looked taken aback, but Katara knew otherwise.

"It's okay Rien..." She said, turning so the boy's view of Aang was obscured. "That's not your daddy, he's a very nice man. He won't hurt you" She said softly. Rien shook his head and clung to Katara's neck, hiding his face to hide his tears. Katara rocked him some, "Don't worry, if he tries to hurt you I will punish him." She promised. Rien looked up at her and nodded some then giggled as Momo flew down and landed lightly on his shoulder, licking his face lightly. Katara smiled hearing the boy laugh, she didn't think Toph ever mentioned him laughing. Slowly she moved up Appa's tail and sat down in the saddle. Appa took off and waited for Aang's instructions on where to head next.

A few minutes later, they landed at the entrance of the Gaoling hospital. Seconds before Appa hit the ground Katara had leaped to the ground and was charging the hospital looking for Toph's room. When she found the room she glared at Toph's mother before going over to Toph looking worried. Toph was unconscious, and clearly showing her five months pregnancy. Poppi Bei Fong looked at Katara and took a deep breath rubbing Toph's hand lightly. Katara covered her hands with water from the air and put them over Toph's head and looked at Poppi.

"What happened to her? Why is she here?" Katara questioned harshly.

"Her husband came home last night, drunk again. We found her in the yard like this. The doctor says that there is pressure in her head causing her to be like this." Poppi explained. Katara moved her healing hands to Toph's head, focusing on releasing the pressure on her brain. After half an hour, she removed her hands as Toph's eyes fluttered open. Katara looked at her and brushed the hair out of Toph's bruised face looking at her.

"Is he gone?" The words slowly escaped her mouth, just above a whisper. The tone in her voice scared Katara, she had never heard the tone of fear escape Toph's lips. Toph's mother squeezed her daughters hand and nodded slightly.

"Yes, he left this morning Toph." He mother said softly. Toph took a small breath and rubbed her head. Katara looked at Toph's mother then glanced at Toph.

"What did he do to you Toph?" She questioned, startling Toph with her presence. Toph turned her head towards Katara's voice with a faint groan then looked at Katara.

"He tried to kill me Katara... He tried. He was so close... I thought I was going to die..." She said, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Katara took the edge of her sleeve in her hand then lightly dabbed the tears from Toph's face.

"It's okay Toph. He's not going to touch you ever again. Aang and I have come to get you away from him for good." Katara said then helped Toph sit up. "Lets help you onto Appa, we're heading to the Northern Water Tribe."

Toph nodded and slowly moved her legs over the edge of the bed then used Katara as a support as she stood up. Katara noticed that even though Toph was two months behind her in her pregnancy, Toph's baby bump was bigger than hers. _She shouldn't be that big at only five months if she's just carrying one._ Katara thought to herself. She started to head off before Toph stopped short, as if she had just remembered something very important.

"Katara... Rien... is... is Rien alright? Do you have him?" She said, worry coating the words. It was clear that Takeo had threatened to hurt him the night before. Katara put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her gripping the shoulder lightly.

"We have him Toph. He's fine, just shaken up. Lets go now." Katara assured her then guided her out to Appa. Toph followed leaning against Katara in order to stay upright. Katara knew that if her best friend was this weak, then she must have been beaten to the edge of death for her to be this weak. Slowly she lead the blind earthbender up Appa's tail and sat her down in the saddle then sat down across from her. Rien stopped playing with Momo and threw his arms around his mother, all the terror disappearing from his face. Toph slowly wrapped her arms around her son and smiled slightly.

"You okay mama..." Rien mumbled into her shirt and held his mother close. She was the only thing that made him feel safe. He was still afraid of the man sitting on the head of the bison, it looked so much like Takeo, yet the arrows were the wrong color.

"Yeah... I'm okay Rien. I'm just glad that your safe." Toph said then looked at Katara. "Thank you so much for coming Katara." She whispered. Katara smiled and nodded then looked around before letting out a deep breath.

"You'll be safe in the Northern Water tribe Toph. We're going to be in the Spirit Oasis so you can see and we can keep watch on your child." Katara said in a comforting voice. Toph took a deep breath.

"Children, I'm having twins."


	7. A Sanctuary?

**Chapter 7: A Sanctuary?-**

After a few hours the air Appa was flying through began to turn cold as he entered the northern sea between the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Water Tribe. Toph dug through one of Rien's bags for a few minutes before pulling out a small green blanket. Rien had fallen asleep on her lap a little after they had started flying, but the colder air had caused him to shiver. Toph wrapped the blanket around the sleeping boy and held him close. As soon as they were inside the Water Tribe, she knew that she would be safe.

An hour later Appa landed just inside the wall surrounding the Northern Water Tribe. Unlike the last time they had been up there the citizens did not surround the sky bison but went along their normal lives, only young children pointing at the large bison now in the middle of the square. Aang jumped off Appa's head then looked around arching his back, cracking all the kinks from his spine. Katara grabbed the gear from the saddle bags before standing up and going over to Toph.

"Toph we're here." She said and took Rien from Toph's lap. Toph stood up and stretched before holding her arms out. Katara chuckled some. "I'm not going to carry you too Toph."

"I want my son back Katara." Toph said, ignore Katara's comment. Katara looked at Rien then handing him back to Toph. Toph held her son close. "I know you aren't going to carry me Katara, but it would be best if you guided me around while we're on this iceberg." She commented. Katara nodded and took Toph's arm and guided Toph down Appa's tail. As they were walking down, three people approached them. Chief Arnook and Master Pakku walked up, accompanied by a woman neither Aang or Katara knew. The three bowed at Aang, and Aang bowed back.

"Avatar Aang, it is good to see you again." Chief Arnook greeted him. Aang nodded.

"Thank you for letting us stay here Chief" Aang replied. Arnook nodded and gestured to the woman who was with him.

"This is Shay, she will be the healer that will stay with you while you are staying here for when Master Katara and your friend go into labor." He explained then looked at Katara. "She is our best healer, I hope she will be of great help to you." Katara nodded and looked at the healer.

"It is an honor to be able to serve you Avatar and Master Katara." Shay said bowing. "I was still training when you freed our tribe from the Fire Nation raid." Aang turned red and rubbed his head.

"Well... thanks. It's all part of the job." He smiled. Katara looked at her then back

"We should head to the oasis, before Toph freezes." She said. Arnook took a deep breath.

"You may stay in there as long as you do NOT disturb the spirits. Only use the spirit water if a life is at stake." He warned, his voice stern. Katara nodded.

"You have my word Chief Arnook." She agreed just as Aang nodded.

"CAN WE PLEASE JUST GET TO THE OASIS!" Toph burst in, shivering harshly from the cold. "You know, BEFORE MY FEET FREEZE!" Master Pakku raised an eyebrow at the earthbender then looked at Katara. Katara sighed then nodded.

"We're going Toph." She said then looked at the two elders. "Thank you for your hospitality." She thanked before leading Toph off to the entrance of the Oasis. Aang followed looking around the tribe, waving towards the younger children as they smiled. Once they were inside the Oasis, Shay led them to a hut that had been cut into the ice wall behind the spirit gate.

"This is where we have set up for you to stay, hopefully it works." She spoke timidly. Katara smiled at her.

"It will be just fine Shay." She said then looked at Toph. "Why don't you sit down? Let me give you and your children a check-up?" She asked. Toph nodded and set Rien down on the furs lain on the floor of the hut. The boy curled up, dreaming happily. Toph sat down and stretched out, letting out a low groan as small aches and pains returned.

"I haven't had a check-up since I was one month pregnant." Toph said lightly. "Want me to lie down? Or will it be easier if I'm sitting up." She asked. Katara looked her over then took a deep breath.

"Go ahead and lie down. It may help me see the babies easier. You said you were five months in your last letter... right?" She asked. Toph nodded and slowly laid down and nodded. After she was settled, Katara covered her hands with water and lightly uncovered the fabric from over Toph's baby bump before placing her hands on it lightly. Toph made a small noise and squirmed some, getting a weird look from Katara.

"The water's cold..." Toph whined. Katara sighed.

"Of course it's cold Toph. Its water tribe water." She said before closing her eyes concentrating on the fetuses lying just under her hands. "They look healthy Toph. Just about the right size for five months. And..." She trailed off as she noticed something that confused her. "You said, twins...?" She asked cautiously. Toph looked confused.

"Yeah... why?" She asked, worry flowing into her expression.

"There's something else. I can't quite... make it out." She said concentrating harder on the spot. "It might be another... baby. But its smaller than both of the others." She said quietly, surprising Toph.

"Another... baby?" Toph asked quietly. This didn't make sense, she could only feel two heartbeats coming from her that weren't hers. If there was three babies and two heartbeats, did that mean that the third was...?

"Here, let me see if I can see the little one a little better." She said and shifted her hands finding a better position. "There we go." She muttered then closed her eyes.

"I can see him better now. He's a lot smaller than the other two, but he's alive." She told Toph then took a small breath. "I don't know if he will survive birth though." Toph shook her head hearing this. The children may be Takeo's, but she did not want any child to die.

"Don't worry Toph. Shay and I will try to help as much as we can to prevent that." Katara assured her. Toph nodded some. Katara smiled and pulled herself up to her feet. "Come on, lets find something to do."

Everything went well for just over a month while they stayed in the oasis. But a month into the stay, Toph was getting nervous. This was around the time of the month that Takeo showed up for his week with her. She didn't know if he already knew she wasn't where he left her . But she had the feeling that he would show up. At this point, it would be very hard for her and Katara to fight, well Katara could barely move from the weight of her pregnancy, she was carrying twins just as Toph had thought she was.

It was the middle of the night where a dark shadow looked over the edge of the ice wall surrounding the spirit oasis. Aang, Katara, Toph and Rien all were fast asleep in the hut. The figure looked into the oasis before leaping down, seeming to float down to the ground hundreds of feet below. After landing in the middle of the oasis the figure turned to look around the dark circle of land and water. Unable to see anyone the figure lit a small burst of fire on his hand, filling the oasis with a small glow of light and revealing the figures face. A bright red airbending tattoo is very prominent on his forehead as the his eyes scan the oasis. Through the dim glow created by the flame, the man noticed the dark rectangle cut away from the wall of ice.

"That's where you're hiding." He smirked and headed towards the entrance to the hut, bending air under his feet to prevent any vibrations in the ground. Pulling back the cloth covering the doorway to the hut and moved inside. He could see the sleeping forms of his wife and son, but as he moved towards them he stopped seeing Aang. A smirk creeped across his face. His search was over. The Avatar would die tonight.


	8. The Attack

**Chapter 8- The Attack:**

The hut was silent except for the light breathing of the sleeping inhabitants. Takeo extinguished the flame he lit on his hand and took a deep breath gathering his energy before starting to bend lightning from the edge of his fingers. The sound of crackling electricity filled the air of the hut, causing the inhabitants to stir. Takeo looked at the others then pointing his jolting finger towards his brother. As he released the lightning the air in the hut exploded with the sound of thunder.

Aang rolled over hearing the lightning crackling as it was summoned and quickly went through the motions that Zuko had taught him before Sozin's Comet had arrived and shot the lightning past the intruder and out of the the hut into the sky. He had not been asleep when the man came in, it was his night to keep guard. Takeo quickly stepped away from the lightning and looked at his brother angrily. Aang took a deep breath shaking off the sudden feeling of tiredness and stood up looking at the intruder. Takeo looked right back at him, taking in the sight of his brother after 108 years.

"Hello brother." He smirked, sending a burst of fire at him. Aang quickly took the defensive, melting ice from the walls of the hut and smothering the fire with it, causing steam to expand throughout the darkness. The loud hissing noise produced caused the other three inhabitants of the hut to awaken. Katara quickly noticed the extra body present and moved over to Toph in an attempt to protect her. Aang made a cyclone that swirled sideways, throwing the intruder from the hut. Takeo landed at the edge of the spirit pool, fire erupting from his nostrils. Aang appeared from the dark rectangle cut from the wall of the oasis to be knocked from his feet by a blast of freezing water.

"This is the night the Avatar dies." Takeo laughed. Aang got to his feet and took a fighting stance, getting a glimpse of Takeo in the moonlight. Underneath the unkempt hair, the outline of Takeo's blood-red tattoos was visible, confusing Aang. Another airbender? How could that be possible? The man called him brother, but that could not be possible. How could it?

Before Aang could come up with a guess as to the man's identity, he felt earth creep around his knees and wrists, throwing him onto his back. Takeo walked over starting lightning on his fingertips, hovering over the Avatar. Aang went to send fire from his mouth but before he could Takeo was thrown away by a wave of water.

"Get away from him!" Katara shouted sending ice spikes at the intruder, allowing Aang to free himself from the earth binding him to the ground. As the fighting continued outside between the two airbenders Katara went over to Toph and Rien. "Is that him Toph?" She asked. Toph took a small breath and moved a hand from the furs to the earth and nodded shrinking back towards the back to the room. Rien was shaking with fright, clinging to Toph with a death grip.

"He 'ound us mama..." He whispered. Katara went over to her bag and pulled out a small object going over to the two.

"Rien," She said kneeling down next to Toph holding out the bison whistle. "I want you to hold onto this. If mommy tells you to, you blow it as loud as you can. Okay?" She explained. Rien peeked out from behind Toph's shirt and slowly reached out taking the bison whistle from her hand looking at it then nods slightly hiding back into her shirt. Toph held him close turning her head towards Katara.

"Only tell him to blow it if something happens to me or Aang. Then get on Appa and get out of here. Anywhere." Katara said putting a hand on Toph's shoulder then got up going out of the hut. Seeing Katara Takeo quickly turned the full force of his attention to her.

"If it isn't Mrs. Avatar. Love's overrated." He smirked then sent lightning at her.

"NO!" Aang shouted then bent an earth wall in front of Katara as she built a blockade of ice. With an ear shattering crash the earth exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere. Katara, protected by her ice blockade took advantage of Takeo blocking the rock by melting the ice and sending a thick stream of water straight at Takeo's chest.

Takeo took the full force of the attack flying back into the wall. Once he regained the strength to stand up he growled expelling fire from his nostrils. "You will pay for that peasant." He said then bent up rocks from the ground and threw them at Katara while surrounding them with fire. Aang stepped in front of Katara using a strong blast of air to throw Takeo's attack right back at him.

"You leave my wife alone!" He shouted then surrounded Takeo's body with earth. Takeo merely laughed throwing his head back to bend the earth away from his body.

"Trapping me will not be that easy brother." He sneered then bent water from the spirit pool streaming it at Aang's head, spinning the tip fast enough to drill right through when his hand was stopped, making him drop the water inches in front of Aang's face. He looked back to see a water whip surrounding his wrist coming from one of the pools surrounding the oasis.

"Neither will killing him Takeo!" Katara said then picked him up by the wrist and throwing him down on the ground growing ice around his body from the damp grass. "Now, you will answer for your crimes."

"What crimes? I've done nothing wrong" He said melting the ice standing up, steam rising from his clothes into the cold air.

"Lets start with rape, spousal and child abuse." Katara snapped. "And don't say it didn't happen because there are two people who can easily prove otherwise." She added then froze him again, making the ice thicker as Aang moved the earth beneath him to force him down to lie down on the grass as earth crawled up around his neck and arms.

"Those are not any of your concern Katara. What I've done with Toph is between me and her." He smirked.

"It IS my concern that you are torturing my best friend and her son, mind you a son that she shouldn't have at her age!" She said bending a knife out of ice going over by him. Kneeling down she moved her hand over his chest bending the ice away so that there was nothing between her and his skin.

Just as she raised the knife steam began to rise from the rest of Takeo's body as his body temperature rose in order to flash boil the ice immobilizing him. With one moment he slammed his foot down on the ground once it was freed and crumbled the earth restraining his neck and arms.

A yell pierced the cold air as Takeo rolled to the side, Katara's knife digging deep into his side. She missed his heart as he moved but the knife still managed to wound its target. Closing his eyes in pain he grabbed the knife with one hand keeping it frozen in his warm body while with his other he shot a jet of fire at Katara.

In the second she used to jump away from the fire Takeo quickly rolled to the side a few feet slipping into the spirit pool, staining the crisp blue water with a small stain of red. Aang quickly went to the edge of the pond looking inside the shallow pool, but the only thing visible in the clear water were the fish.

"He's not in there... He disappeared." Aang said looking at Katara. Katara took a deep breath looking towards the entrance to the hut then at Aang.

"Your not hurt are you?" She asked him. Aang shook his head looking at the few burn holes in his clothes. "A couple of burns but no real injuries." He answered then took a deep breath. "How are we going to tell Toph he got away?"

"We're just going to have to come out and tell her." Katara said then went into the hut looking at Toph and Rien. Toph looked towards them holding Rien, who had fallen fast asleep during the battle.

"Is he gone? Dead preferably?" She asked quietly, biting her lip. Katara went over to her shaking her head sadly.

"He's gone, but he's not dead. He got away... But if we ever see him again. He will not get the chance."


	9. The Aftermath

**Chapter 9: The Aftermath-**

Needless to say no one slept well that night. The next morning it was decided that the Northern Water Tribe was no longer safe. If Takeo had survived after his escape then he would most likely return when he was healthy again. But both Katara and Toph were getting into their third trimesters and the healers warned that leaving where a team of healers could help deliver may result in unnecessary complications. After this point was made everyone agreed that it was in their children's best interests to stay until both Toph and Katara had delivered.

A month passed and during the full moon Katara gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Aang was given a vision that the boy possessed the power to waterbend, and the girl the gift of airbending. He was no longer the last airbender. The girl was given the name Gyatza, and the boy Yuen, after Aang's guardian Gyatzo and the princess of the Northern Water Tribe.

Two months later Toph went into labor during the afternoon. Almost a day later two babies were born and the third was on its way. After the third was born, a few of the healers were working to keep him alive. Unlike the first two, he was much smaller and did not start to cry after he was born. Katara put a hand on Toph shoulder trying to keep her mind off of her son fighting for his life and onto her two newborn daughters.

"The healers will help him Toph, he will be okay." Katara assured her holding out the older of the two girls. "For now, lets give these two names." Toph took a few deep breaths and nodded tilting her head down at the two.

"I've thought of some. But I know what I want to name them now that they are in my arms." She explained then nodded at the child buried in blankets supported by Toph's right arm. "Miki," she said then paused and nodded at the baby in her left arm. "And Shochi." She said then smiled faintly relaxing against the pile of furs propping her upright.

Almost an hour passed before the cries of the baby boy filled the air, waking Toph from her doze and the two other newborns. Shay wrapped the boy in a thick blanket and smiled as she knelt down beside his mother and held him out. Katara quickly took one of the girls from Toph's arms as Shay placed the crying child in her arms.

"He's very small, but now that he's awake and crying we think he will be okay. He's quite a fighter." Shay explained in little detail what had happened over the past hour.

"Yes, he is a little fighter..." Toph mumbled holding the boy closely, smiling as he buried his face in her shirt calming down. "Glad you made it Zhuizo"

Katara smiled as she recognized the meaning of the name Toph had given him in what was one of the few words she knew in ancient earth kingdom. Zhuizo meant 'warrior' or 'brave warrior'. A fitting name for the boy, who had fought since conception to live amongst his two sisters in such a tiny space.

After all of the newborns were fed and asleep, Rien resting against his mothers side happy that she was alright after listening to almost twenty hours of Toph in labor but not being allowed to see why she was in pain. He too now lay asleep as Toph closed her eyes.

"Katara, we should leave for the Fire Nation tomorrow. Now that my children are born there is nothing holding us here, where we could be attacked at any time. Just because Takeo hasn't come in the past few months doesn't mean he won't come tomorrow." She huffed. Katara nodded slightly rocking Gyatza back to sleep.

"We'll leave early tomorrow Toph, Shay and I want to make sure Zhuizo's ready to travel before we take him anywhere. He just barely made it today, they had to use spirit water before he started to cry. We don't want to tax his system too much, or it could be bad." Katara explained gravely. Toph only nodded.

"We understand that you don't want to stay here, and we will leave as soon as we can. But we need to take our childrens' health into account before we do anything too rash. You should know that better than any of us." Katara snapped. Toph tilted her head towards her, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Only then did Katara realize what she had said and took a small breath.

"I'm sorry Toph... I didn't..."

"Don't apologize Katara. I know what you meant, and I do care about them, more than I care about myself. And that's why I want to leave this place before anything can happen to them." Toph interrupted then leaned back closing her eyes. Before Katara could say anything in return Toph fell asleep.


End file.
